About this blog

My name is Bill Hirt and I'm a candidate to be a Representative from the 48th district in the Washington State legislature. My candidacy stems from concern the legislature is not properly overseeing the WSDOT and Sound Transit East Link light rail program. I believe East Link will be a disaster for the entire eastside. ST will spend 5-6 billion on a transportation project that will increase, not decrease cross-lake congestion, violates federal environmental laws, devastates a beautiful part of residential Bellevue, creates havoc in Bellevue's central business district, and does absolutely nothing to alleviate congestion on 1-90 and 405. The only winners with East Link are the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington and their labor unions.

This blog is an attempt to get more public awareness of these concerns. Many of the articles are from 3 years of failed efforts to persuade the Bellevue City Council, King County Council, east side legislators, media, and other organizations to stop this debacle. I have no illusions about being elected. My hope is voters from throughout the east side will read of my candidacy and visit this Web site. If they don't find them persuasive I know at least I tried.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Sound Transit Can Be Stopped

I thought I would use my “Soon to be former candidate for
BCC” status for a final pre-election post to make two points.

First, I am confident in the end my Sound Transit
concerns will be vindicated.If ST
is allowed to proceed, life for many eastside residents will change
forever.In three short years many
cross-lake commuters will be “surprised” when they finally realize that East
Link means closing off the center roadway forever for vehicles.They will be less than happy when faced
with the increased congestion that results.

Residents along the route into Bellevue will see a beautiful
boulevard devastated and their commutes by car or by transit disrupted
by light rail and elevated roadway constructionThe so-called “tunnel” will really require a huge
trench through the city center that will wreck havoc on many businesses.Light rail construction and the
creation of a huge maintenance facility in the Bel-Red area will do little to
attract development.

When light rail operation finally begins (2023?) cross-lake
commuters will be enraged when they realize that the years and billions spent
on East Link will have a miniscule effect on their commute.East Link’s limited capacity and
accessibility will restrict the number of riders to a fraction of Sound
Transits predictions with many of those former bus riders. Those living up to 500 feet from the
tracks will likely be disrupted by noisy trains for 20 hours a day.It’s hard to believe light rail
noise will enhance Bel Red area.

The second point is Sound Transit can be stopped.There’s an old saying “You can lead a
horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”. This blog, which has attracted over 11,000 page views, is my
attempt to show people “the water”.My hope is that those who agree with these
concerns would commit to “drink the water”.My suggestion for doing so (in addition to supporting a BBB appeal mentioned earlier) includes emailing the Seattle Times and Bellevue Reporter asking they critique not only
Sound Transits East Link but also their Central Link extensions.

Contact your local legislator, in particular, Rep. Clibborn,
the head of the legislative transportation committee to demand they use their
oversight of the WSDOT to force Sound Transit to justify their policies with rational
cost/benefit assessments.Email
Lynn Peterson, the new head of the WSDOT, to ask for a “fresh” review of their
support for Sound Transit policies.Her position on the Sound Transit Board makes her a critical player in
ending this debacle.I think
other board members could also be responsive to constituents concerns.

The hundreds of millions Sound Transit has already
“invested” in the Prop 1 extensions pale in comparison to the billions they
will “invest” in the near future.Their East Link program will devastate Bellevue and increase cross-lake
congestion.Their Central Link
extensions will create a perpetual financial “black hole” for transportation
funds.This blog will
continue to argue its way past time to stop it.

2 comments:

DOT's ability to oversee, and design, projects is also at issue in Seattle, specifically on the large 520 and Viaduct projects.

Sound Transit tried to force the project before its time. The appropriate schedule would have been to include it on a properly designed 520 bridge.

On a government reform basis I believe we need a single elected official to head Sound Transit, elected from the entire district. In theory the current system of board appointments from participating jurisdictions is a good one, but in practice, clearly dysfunctional, if not malicious.

About Me

My last elective position was class president for 25 “class of ’57” seniors in Armstrong, Iowa. I received an MS in engineering at ISU, worked at Boeing for 36 years before retiring in 1998. My wife and I moved into our current home in Bellevue in 1967 where we raised two daughters. Three years of unsuccessful attempts to persuade BCC to block EL are available on “extended session” meeting minutes. Copies of many were sent to all the media outlets, legislators, and others to no avail. I’m hoping this Web site will convince east side residents to query their own legislators.